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Department honors Neckers during his centennial year The Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry will hold a number of special events in the coming year to mark the 100th birthday of James W. Neckers, who chaired the department for 36 years. "We're calling it the 'Neckers Centennial Year,'" said Gerard V. Smith, chair of the chemistry department. "Jim's 100th birthday was April 16. He celebrated with family and friends April 13. We are planning several special events to recognize Dr. Neckers and his years of service to the department and the University." "During the centennial year, the department will solicit faculty and friends to dedicate their publications to Dr. Neckers," said Smith. "We will collect the reprints and publish a book in his honor." On Oct. 4, the department plans a one-day symposium and poster session. Preliminary plans include a morning session with several invited speakers. An afternoon poster session will include a presentation of the posters on the walls of the chemistry research section of the Neckers Building. "Naturally, we hope members of the Neckers family will be able to attend the October symposium," said Smith. "We are confident that many alumni and friends will also participate." Neckers, who still lives in Carbondale, was born April 16, 1902, in Clymer, N.Y. He came to what was then Southern Illinois Normal University in 1927, the same day he received his doctoral degree from the University of Illinois at the age of 25. Two years later, he became department chair. Neckers was a member of the University's "Four Horsemen," a near-legendary group of professors who made the University's chemistry department a successful pipeline for future doctoral candidates. During his tenure, the department grew from four to 24 faculty, won its first American Chemical Society accreditation and added master's and doctoral programs. Neckers retired in 1967. In 1970, the University dedicated the James W. Neckers Building, which houses the University's physical sciences programs. - Rod Sievers May 1, 2002